Much of the local and, particularly international, goodwill
that has accrued to Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe has been because of his
liberal attitude towards the media. Whereas the Peoples Alliance under President
Chandrika Kumaratunga became notorious for the harsh manner in which they treated the
media, Mr. Wickremasinghe, even in the Opposition, was in touch with the media and pledged
to liberalise media laws and dismantle certain institutions that were considered inimical
to freedom of expression.

True to his promise, he did away with the archaic law of Criminal Defamation and now is
considering replacement of the Press Council with a Press Complaints Commission in
accordance with the wishes of the media institutions. It is, perhaps, in recognition of
this liberal attitude that the Commonwealth Press Union is to hold the Commonwealth
Editors Conference as well as the Biennial meeting of the Commonwealth Press Union
in Sri Lanka next February.

But the decision not to renew the visa of British journalist Paul Harris, Correspondent
to the London Daily Telegraph and also a correspondent to Janes Intelligence Review,
could smear the liberal democratic image of Prime Minister Wickremasinghe.

Mr.Paul Harris undoubtedly is not a run-of-the mill foreign correspondent. He has
exposed LTTE violations of basic human rights in areas under the LTTE control and
brilliantly exposed the fascist nature of LTTE with the photograph of thousands of LTTE
cadres delivering the fascist Hitlerite salute to LTTE leaders. Besides, he has developed
a wide range of political contacts, including those of the Peoples Alliance. He had
accurately predicted the moves of the LTTE, such as the storming of security posts using
school children.

All this may not be to the liking of the ruling United National Front. But Ranil
Wickremasinghe, the democrat who has ink of two of the most distinguished journalists of
this country flowing in his veins, should not succumb to toadies carrying tales about
journalists, who are not the cheer leaders of the UNF.

Sri Lankan journalists are well aware that Paul Harris has continued to be hounded in
recent months by officials of police investigation units despite his complaints to
officials of the foreign ministry .

There is nothing to be gained by not extending the visa of Mr. Harris. Mr.
Wickremasinghe knows very well that he could send out the same reports from Chennai or New
Delhi or write commentaries from London about Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan journalists who have been very much concerned about the freedom of
journalists should make their feelings known the Prime Minister Wickremasinghe before the
stupid decision of forcing Paul Harris out of Sri Lanka is made. At a time when
Colombo-based diplomats as well as visiting diplomatic dignitaries are fraternising with
terroist leaders of an internationally proscribed organisation, should there be objections
if a foreign correspondent associates with leading politicians of recognised political
parties?

Sincerity alone is not enough

As expected Finance Minister Mr. K.N. Choksy had no lollipops to deliver. He is no
magician to pull rabbits out of his hat nor does he pretend he could so. In cricketing
terms, Mr. Choksy appeared to be the last man in with a huge total to make, previous
batsmen having batted rashly and got out.

Many a finance minister in his predicament would have resorted to demagoguery - heaping
the blame on predecessors, accusing them of various misdemeanours and tried to make cheap
debating points. Mr Choksy, being a successful professional lawyer, argued his brief - a
bad brief no doubt - in the best of parliamentary traditions and did not attempt to fool
his fellow parliamentarians or the public. Even though there were only a few crumbs thrown
at the suffering masses and the poor will be poorer this year, it was a refreshing and
exemplary performance in politics.

Some opposition politicians like former Finance Minister Mr. Ronnie de Mel, who gave
splendid theatrical performances in his eleven budget presentations, found Mr.
Choksys presentation boring. Former bureaucrat Sarath Amunugama found it the
most boring of budgets with no imagination at all. Had they been presenting the
budget proposals with the economy in the same parlous state, they would probably have
given very scintillating political performances, but whether they could have done any
better in alleviating the poverty of the people is certainly in doubt.

In the first years performance, the UNF government had made modest gains. And Mr.
Choksy was modest about it. The economy was expected to grow at 4.5 per cent during the
second half of this year enabling annual growth of 3 per cent for 2002. Inflation had
declined from 14.2 per cent to 9 per cent and would stand at 8 per cent for 2002. So were
most of the macro economic indices which went to show that the economy was reviving from
zero growth of the PAs last year.

But statistics are a poor substitute for the pangs of hunger. And the people will not
continue meekly to tighten their belts for long.

In these situations, political leaders will have to give the lead by being exemplary.
They have to show that they are with the people in their hour of need. But is that
happening? Jacking up salaries of MPs and voting for duty free vehicles for themselves are
certainly not the ways to get about being exemplary. Much is said about elimination of
waste and eradication of bribery and corruption. Why is it that the only Vice Squad that
had a good record of striking down vice - the Anti-Vice Strike Force disbanded this
week ?

The people need to be enthused in various ways to make a living. But the government
appears to be solely dependent in correcting macro economic policies as dictated by the
international lending organisations.

The governments sincerity not to con the people is much appreciated, but new
economic strategies and ways of production to tide over the crisis we are in are called
for.